Harrison Barnes off the hook for Kobe Bryant’s Achilles injury

In this file photo, Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) reacts after being injured in the second half of an NBA game against the Atlanta Hawks in Atlanta on March 13, 2013. Bryant has been sidelined by injuries for the majority of the year and most recently fractured his knee. (John Bazemore/The Associated Press file)

OAKLAND – In an effort both to clear his name and offer support, Golden State Warriors forward Harrison Barnes texted Kobe Bryant.

Barnes had just defended Bryant when he unexpectedly slipped in the waning minutes of a regular-season game April 12 against the Warriors at Staples Center. Barnes then learned Bryant had torn his left Achilles tendon, an injury that sidelined him for the next eight months.

“He had taken a few hard fouls earlier in that game. I just didn’t want him to think it was anything malicious or that I was trying to go after him or anything like that,” Barnes told this newspaper before the Lakers played Golden State on Saturday at Oracle Arena. “I touched base and wished him well. He said it was all good and he didn’t think anything of it.”

Incidentally, Bryant had hoped his fall stemmed from Barnes fouling him too hard. Medical experts often describe an Achilles injury snapping feeling similar to someone kicking it. Barnes confirmed that Bryant and his teammates asked Barnes if he had done that.

“I said, ‘No I didn’t,’” Barnes said. “As soon as I said that, you could tell by the look on his face that something serious happened to him. I realized it was more than just someone falling to the ground.”

Bryant still made two foul shots before walking off the floor.

“You don’t see many people with a torn Achilles able to make free throws,” Barnes said.

Bryant hasn’t written a Hollywood ending yet with his recovery.

He had averaged 13.8 points on 42.5 percent shooting, 6.3 assists and 5.7 turnovers in 29.5 minutes through six games, a drastic dropoff from his career average of 25.5 points per game on 45.4 percent shooting in 36.6 minutes. The Lakers also expect Bryant to stay sidelined for six more weeks after fracturing his left knee.

“If anyone can come back from all the things he’s been through, it would be him,” Barnes said. “He came back from the Achilles (injury) and played on such a short recovery. He’s been through a lot, but I’m sure he’ll able to get through his latest injury just the same. This is who he is. He’s not a self-doubting person. He’s not going to let anything defeat him.”

Lineup shuffle

The only consistency marking this Lakers’ season has involved their inconsistent rotations and revolving injuries.

So it should hardly become surprising that the Lakers featured their 12th starting lineup on Saturday against Golden State because of Pau Gasol’s absence from a respiratory illness.

Gasol had remained the lone player to start at 26 games, but he had battled respiratory issues at the beginning of this season. So the Lakers started Chris Kaman, which marked his second appearance in the past 14 games amid back spasms and falling low on the Lakers’ depth chart.

Advertisement

“I didn’t know if I was ever going to play again this season,” said Kaman, who has averaged 8.1 points on 50-percent shooting and 4.4 rebounds in 16.8 minutes through 14 games. “I just have to do whatever I do, whether it’s five minutes or 25 minutes. I don’t expect anything out of this. I’ll just play hard and do my job.”

Gasol didn’t attend the game, but is expected to return when the Lakers play on Monday against Phoenix.